Sunday 21st February 2016.

​Hello friends and family
I hope all of you in Christchurch are OK and not letting the earthquakes slosh wine out of your flutes.

Visiting the neighbours.

​Our week began with the arrival of 250Kg of salmon smolt – as ordered and expected – but packaged differently. It meant that we had 3 freezers full of fish, fish in the chilly bin and fish in the fridge. It took until Friday before we had any space anywhere, but no fish spoiled or was wasted.

Hanging in the 'hood.

​Tobi and I spent time painting signs and pictures of penguins to display on the hay bales generously offered by Doug for that purpose. It was a fun project and we were both surprized at the number of vehicles that drove past. It won’t be long before our work is covered in dust.

3 of the last chicks left to fledge at Okahau point.

​Wednesday was our town day and we took the bike in to get a puncture repaired.  On Friday, Hiltrun and I did the nest rounds. There were only 5 chicks left here and 5 at Okahau Point. We released 6 from the soft release pens and now have only 4 here and 3 in the soft release pens. The remaining refrigerated fish looked daunting!

Our palette.

​On Saturday we got a call from a holiday maker at Kaik 1. There was a stranded penguin, so off Tobi and I went to collect it. When we arrived, there was also a young bull trapped in a bog. Together we got near to him using the back flap off the truck and then I passed a rope behind his shoulders. We tied a long rope to that and 5 of us managed to pull him out of the bog. Like all good bogs it was very smelly and I still catch a whiff off my hands and boots every now and again!

2 chicks on their way - on the beach in Harry's bay.

Have a great week!
Rosalie
​